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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. ball — a dance
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. foot — a measure
  11. spring — of water
  12. craft — boats
  13. spring — the season
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rash — hasty
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. toast — bread
  20. craft — a skill
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spring — a coil
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rash — a series

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com